Along with an increase in screen size of and thinning of displays, not only have TVs been used to merely view broadcast contents, but also there has been an increasing possibility for new usage of the TVs such as simultaneous use of information items, browsing a large amount of information, communication with life-size presence, a bulletin board which always displays information, and interior decoration such as wallpaper or a frame.
In addition, along with introduce of home networking, sharing of a user's operation history or a situation detected by various apparatuses through a home network and sensing of a context or a situation of the user in a comprehensive manner is becoming a real possibility.
Under these circumstances, it is necessary to design more complex functions for simple use, in order to allow not only conventional programs and movies to be viewed but also the above new usage to be realized. For this purpose, it is necessary to realize a new operation method which allows an intuitive operation and an autonomous operation method which reduces an amount of a user's explicit operation and operational load by understanding a situation or intention of the user and anticipating an operation of the user based on user-sensing information. In addition, it is desirable to employ an input method and an operational system assuming operations by multiple people so as to be compatible with usage for not only passive viewing but also other purposes, while taking advantage of features of a TV set up in a space shared by a family, such as a living room.
As the new operation method to replace conventional use of a remote control, input apparatuses have been developed which allows a user to input intended information by simply making a gesture or a hand gesture, without an apparatus such as a remote control being held by the user and without equipping a special apparatus. For such input apparatuses, providing the user with appropriate feedback on the user's operation is important for high operability to the user.
For example, Patent Literature 1 cited below discloses a user interface device as an apparatus which provides a user with such feedback. The user interface device disclosed includes a unit which determines whether or not an object of image processing is within a proper image-processable range and a unit which displays at least one of specific visual information and auditory information when it is determined that the object is out of the proper range. On the user interface device, for example, a cursor is displayed smaller and/or lighter in color if the object is determined to be far off the proper range, displayed larger if the object is determined to be off but close to the proper range, and displayed with a left side deformed if the object is determined to be outside the proper range to the left.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature]
    [PTL 1] Japanese Patent No. 3819096